Well, I wasn’t expecting to complete it tonight, but the last two chapters were very short and so I did. Erm, hurrah! I won’t spoil it for anyone else who hasn’t played it yet, but the last few hours were mostly filled with huge battles with striders and gunships, and hordes of baddies. Luckily, you’re accompanied by a team of other people for much of it, until you reach the Citadel, anyway. The end boss was a bit easy, although …
So, the end of the year is nigh, and I thought I’d round up this year’s games. That is, the games I’ve played this year, rather than just those that have come out this year, although in most cases it’s the same thing. January The year started as 2006 ended – with Castlevania. Specifically, Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance on the GBA, supplemented by Super Castlevania IV for the Wii’s Virtual Console. There was also a lot …
I’ve just realised, but “Eli Vance” sounds like “elephants”. A bit. If you squint. Anyway. I made it all the way through Nova Prospekt, including a few bits where I got to place some turrets of my own (before Alyx activated them). Found Eli, although couldn’t actually release him at first, until I made it to a teleporter and Dr. Mossman went loopy and did a runner with him. Eventually got my turn in the teleporter, and Alyx and I …
Played loads of this today, and finished the whole buggy section. It took longer than was probably necessary as I stopped at every junction, house and building to see what was inside – usually ammo I didn’t need and baddies I certainly didn’t need. The buggy section, like the airboat bit before it, seemed to go on far too long. It was more fun than the airboat bit, and you actually felt like you were getting somewhere in it (whereas …
So Ravenholm is straight out of Resident Evil. They might not be actual zombies, but they’re no so different. And then there’s The Predator who jumps around the rooftops and climbs drainpipes. Oh, and the harder versions of the headcrabs who poison you as well as jump on your face. I didn’t really like Ravenholm that much. Nothing about it seemed like Half-Life to me at all, and the loon from the church just detracted further. After that, it was …
So this was a surprise. In several ways. Firstly, I’m amazed my wife managed to get hold of a copy of this for me for Christmas. Then there’s the fact she thought to buy it in the first place (as it’s been on my Amazon wishlist for years). Then, and most amazingly, there’s the number of things that made me think about Super Mario Galaxy. It doesn’t lessen Mario, it just made me re-evaluate some of the “new-ness” of it. …
Working through the Challenge mode now, and some of them are bloody hard! Managed to do all the 35/45/55 peg challenges, and a few All Clears, but the 300,000 point ones are almost all beyond reach.
Hurrah! Big Hairy Jesus Day is upon us, and gifts galore were unwrapped. So, in the style of first day of term playgroud boasting, what did you get? Personally, I snagged a pile of games I’ve been after for a while, including Psychonauts, Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, and camp-tastic Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland. Amazing! Also: David Bowie albums FTW!
At all? Of course you did. It has been blatently obvious for the last three months, hasn’t it? Apparently, they want to remove religious connections to the event, so we don’t offend non-Christians. Or, alternatively (and perhaps more cynically) to allow non-Christians to take part in the happy spending of their money safe in the knowledge they won’t be upsetting their own god(s). Possibly. So my money is spent and the spoils are wrapped ready for tomorrow’s Great Unwrapping. And …
Played through a bit more of this this morning. There was a huge section on an air boat thing, which did seem to go on for longer than it really needed too, ending in a fight with the helicopter that had been chasing me for most of the game so far. After that, I found Eli’s lab, with Alyx inside, and spent a while playing catch with Dog – a robot. I could play catch, since I had been given …
Now, you see, I bought The Orange Box for Portal. And nothing else. Although I did think that perhaps I’d like Team Fortress 2 a bit, as although not my usual sort of game, the unseriousness of it appealed. And so It Was Done, and The Game of Orange was Purchased, and Lo, Portal was Divine and Team Fortress 2 was Lovely. There was much rejoicing. And today, I was going to play TF2 a bit more, for I thought, …
Things have not improved overnight with regards to online play. Which is a shame. Once again couldn’t finish any online matches as they all froze part way though. Some guy I was playing sent me a message to say it’s been happening to him all day too, so it isn’t just me. Did play some single player games though, and also played through a whole season of the Premier League managing “Manchester Reds”, who you’d have thought would have been …
Haven’t played this in quite a while, although not as long ago as this diary would have you believe as I don’t always record playing it (especially if it’s just one or two goes). As usual, I played against my wife, and unusually she won one of the three games. By quite some way, as well. This must not happen again!
Yay! I bought it and it’s ace and just like SWOS ever was and brilliant and everything! But! There are problems. Which is a shame. Firstly, the 360 pad just isn’t right for this game. You need proper 8-way digital control, and the stick can’t provide that, and the d-pad is (as always) in the wrong place. This isn’t a huge issue, but I can’t help feeling I’d be playing better if I had a proper controller. Far more serious …
And today’s 360 demos? This pair of thingies: Kane and Lynch: Dead MenHmm. It’s a squad-based shooter (which I don’t like), but you play as the bad guys (which I do like), but it’s a bit clunky and they didn’t really choose the best location to show off the graphics (dull grey interiors). Nice that you can shoot chunks out of the walls though. Overall? Not my bag (baby). Burnout ParadiseIt’s Test Drive Unlimited crossed with Burnout. The map looks …